Garment-clasp



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN EDWARD OHRNSTEDT, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

GARMENT-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 509,551, dated November28, 1893.

Application filed February 11, 1893. Serial No. 461,875. (No model.)

To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MARTIN EDWARD OHRN- STEDT, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing in Middletown, in the county of Middlesexand State of Connecticut, have in- P vented new and useful Improvementsin Garment-Clasps, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings and letters of reference markedclosed showing a piece of textile material clasped between the latch andbody portion of the device. Fig. 5 is aside view of a modification,wherein a stud is substituted for the hook, and Fig. 6 is a side view ofa double clasp.

In detail a. indicates the main or body portion; 1) side wings; c thelatch pivotally mounted upon the body portion and arranged to rest whenclosed between the wings 1),: cl the latch supporting plate to which thelatch is pivoted or hinged; and e the bent over or hooked portion.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, easily operative andinexpensive clasp by which any portion of a garment may be clasped andfirmly held Without danger of tearing or necessity of puncturing thematerial, and my invention consists of the construction herein setforth.

The form of device illustrated in the drawings in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusiveis especially adapted for supporting gentlemens drawers, and theapplication or operation of the device will be readily seen, the upperportion of the drawers being clasped between the latch c and wings I)and the hooked or bent over portion e being passed over the pantswaistband. It will readily be seen, however, that the form or shape ofthe hook or bent over portion e may be varied so as to engage garmentsof different construction, and the method of the engagement of thematerial bet ween the latch and wings be utilized.

I prefer that the whole device be constructed of wire as more clearlyshown in Fig. 3, and that the latch c be pivoted to the upper portion ofthe body a by means of a sheet metal tion is bent outwardly to form aloop in which the upper portion of the latch enters and is thus pivotedand the opposite end is left free to move away from and toward the bodyof the device. It is found that with this construction the material isbound so tightly between the wings and latch that a comparatively lightconstruction may be employed. The weight, however, of the material maybe varied to meet any desired condition or strain. If the material to beengaged between the wings and latch is thick and heavy then the wingsshould be constructed to project a greater distance from the body thanif the material be thin and light.

It will readily be seen, as before stated, that the same construction oflatch and Wings may be employed if some other means of connecting theopposite end of the device to the garment be adopted, and in Fig. 5 Ihave illustrated a different construction wherein a button or studf isemployed in place of the hook e, and it will be readily seen that thisbutton or stud may be made integral with the extension or may be madeseparable as desired. It will also be seen that a double clasp may beemployed as shown in Fig. 6, thus adapting the device for a stockingsupport, one latch engaging the stocking and the other latch engagingthe portion of the undergarment above it or engaging the strapfrequently worn.

Having, therefore, described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

A garment clasp, comprising a closed wire, approximately rectangular inplan view, bent back at one end to form a hook for supporting the claspupon the edge of an upper garment or waist band, and at the other endhaving forwardly projecting wings to receive the border of the lowergarment, and comprising also a plate secured across said wire and turnedup at one edge to form a bearing, and a latch pivoted in said bearingand adapted to close down upon the lower garment within the wings,substantially as described.

MARTIN EDWARD OHRNSTEDT. Witnesses:

JAMES H. GUY, SHERMAN M. BACON.

